Seek Tag- Helmuts I and II
by hazelmom
Summary: A couple of missing scenes that I imagined based on McGee's helmut. A bit of McAbby within.


A/N: I always take my McGee episodes very seriously. I'm never quite satisfied with the outcome. Here are a couple of scenes I wished had been in Seek although I thought MW did a fine job with the ep. They are both centered around the helmut he wore in the second half of the episode. Hope you like it. Sheila

**Helmut I**

"Hey Abbs!" Gibbs said as he walked in with a Caf-Pow.

"Gibbs!" she said, eyes wide.

"What's the matter?" He kissed her on the forehead. "I can't visit my favorite girl."

"Uh, I thought you and McGee were getting ready for that transport to Afghanistan."

"Yeah," he sighed. "We ran into a snag."

She knit her eyebrows together. "What happened?"

"Can you believe that McGee's name was on a terrorist watch list? They won't let him in country."

"No way! It's gotta' be a mistake. Not Timmy!"

"Exactly. You and I know that McGee is no terrorist, but now the FBI is going to have to get involved, and it's going to take a couple of days to clear McGee. Guess I'm going to have to go without him."

"Yeah, that's too bad," she sighed. "It's probably for the best though. He seemed nervous. I just don't think going to Afghanistan is best use of his skills."

"He wasn't that nervous. He wants to grow. Going to the 'Stan is part of that."

She shook her head. "He was nervous."

"Abbs, McGee is nervous when he's forced to try a new brand of toothpaste. He's nervous a lot, but it works for him. He does some of his best work when he's nervous."

Abby tugged at the edges of her lab coat and said nothing.

"I checked and found out that McGee's name landed on that list only a hour ago. Seems like someone might have hacked in and put it there."

"That's terrible." Her eyes stayed focused on the floor.

"I'm going to make sure he's safe, Abbs. I always do."

She frowned. "Afghanistan is scary. You can't really make promises like that, Gibbs."

"It's about time for the two of us to go, and I'm hoping that by the time McGee and I get to the airfield, his name is gone from that list."

"Yeah," she said softly. Gibbs turned to go.

"Kevlar helmuts."

"What?" He looked at her.

"Soldiers wearing Kevlar helmuts are three times more likely to survive a tour in Afghanistan."

He nodded. "Even when he sleeps, Abbs. I promise."

"Okay." She took a deep breath and nodded.

…

He adjusted the strap for the fourth time in an hour. Gibbs was driving them out to Lemere's old unit. "Boss, I'm kinda' confused about this 'no removing your helmut ever' policy. None of the other soldiers are abiding by this, and you're just wearing a ball cap."

"You gotta' problem with regulations, McGee?" Gibbs grumbled, keeping his eyes on the road ahead.

"Ah, no," he said as he scratched Dex's ears. "I just think a ball cap might be more comfortable."

"Sure. Take off the helmut. When you get shot in the head, I'll just tell the team you're dead 'cause your ears got itchy."

McGee frowned. "If it's that's dangerous, maybe you oughta' wear—"

"McGee! We're here to catch a killer, right?"

"Yes Boss!"

"Stay focused and forget about your itchy ears, okay?"

He sighed. "Yes Boss."

…

**Helmuts II**

"Dex going to be okay?" McGee said as Gibbs and Captain Martin approached.

"Yup. He's young and healthy. The medic here is working with an army vet stationed in Kabul."

"Good." McGee was kneeling on the ground readying his evidence box.

"What are you doing?" Captain Martin asked.

Gibbs pointed to the tower. "Lemere was shot from up there. Our suspect is dead, but we still gotta' go up there 'cause it's a crime scene."

Martin shook his head. "Not going to happen. That tower's off limits. It's a sniper's dream. They have an angle on it from the hills that we can't seem to cover. We've had two casualties from Marines going up there."

"The killer used it so we gotta' go up there."

"I don't like it."

"Too bad," Gibbs hoisted a bag on his shoulder and headed toward it. McGee trotted alongside, weighed down with gear, an extra helmut hanging off his back.

Gibbs smiled. "You think you can get two helmuts on that big head of yours, McGee?"

McGee unloaded at the stairs to the tower. "It's for you."

"Not wearing it. Let's go."

McGee blocked the door and handed it to him. "You don't have to wear it long, Boss."

"Out of the way, McGee. Got work to do."

McGee dug in. "You gotta' wear it."

"Why?"

"'Cause I'm not going home and explaining to the team that you're dead 'cause you got stubborn."

Gibbs sighed. "I'm an old hand, McGee. I get some latitude with these things."

McGee looked past him at Martin. "Captain, looks like I'm going up alone. Can you make sure Agent Gibbs doesn't follow?"

Martin signaled for MPs.

"McGee!"

"Your agent's right, Gibbs. You think you're first old warhorse I've had to deal with. You're not going up without Kevlar on that brain of yours."

Gibbs looked from Martin to McGee. "You're just getting me back because I made you sleep with it on."

McGee snorted. "I might be afraid of the Taliban, but I'm more afraid of Abby. I know we're not telling her that you wouldn't wear a helmut when you were going into a sniper's nest, are we?"

Gibbs grabbed the helmut and fastened it. "You're getting too big for your britches, McGee."

"Yup, I'm aware. Here, let me grab that." McGee took an extra bag and started trudging up the stairs.

"We're keeping our heads down up there."

"Good advice, Boss," McGee murmured as he disappeared around the corner.

"Don't get cute with me or I'll tell your girlfriend you took the helmut off."

"Boss!"

….

The End


End file.
